And an MFA diploma in a drawer?

VDW's answer is the best. I loved those books, too. Sachar treats kids like they're intelligent and kudos to the publisher (my editions were Scholastic) for publishing such creepy, surreal kid's books.

I'd be worried the fine lines would blur within a few years.

Nope.

That said, I think some tattoos look really cool.

The public pool thing, is that because they don't want yakuza in them?

To compliment his growing collection of genital warts?

Since anything I would get would represent that particular period in my life, I would get something to represent what I've loved from a young age, and that'd have to be the Simpsons, so I'd probably get the Inanimate Carbon Rod. And that'd be a dumb tattoo, so I will remain tattoo-less.

Not as good as my new band, Kabuki Cheerleader.

Know Bowie, Know Suede.

They weren't Britpop. They were good fridge buzz.

What, no Spacehog?

I just assume that most of the AV Club writers were characters in Dazed and Confused, Freaks and Geeks, or Salute Your Shorts.

Yeah, any other band, we'd be safe.

The fact that REM is "boring sellout dad rock" just gives a nod how their influence seeped into myriad other bands. Hyden's certainly right on that account. I realized how true this was after reading this article yesterday and spinning a few early REM tracks. When I first heard REM, they were already at their…

Man, I remember when I bought Modern Times the day it came out. Fresh off the Wal-Mart rack.

Oh, I'm not trying to knock Polaris at all. Just looking to have my existence justified by an Internet comment board.

Also, @marahe:twitter (and other Pete & Pete/Miracle Legion/Mulcahy fans), am I the only one who hears REM in Polaris and other Mulcahy projects?

Hey REM nerds, help me out. Is/Does Mike Mills play bass for M. Ward? Saw Ward with a full band a year ago and it sure looked like him. Scott McCaughey was playing nearby and Mike definitely stopped by during Scott's set, but it was hard to tell in the dark of the Crystal Ballroom.

REM are a band I associate with sneaking to watch VH1 when my parents weren't around. I never "got" them, though I enjoy the IRS stuff more than than the later years. I'm trying to come up with a band I feel ownership of that I've loved from an early point in their career, but I can't come up with one. I take a pretty…